A steering column in a vehicle interior is designed to travel car-forward in response to a collision event of the vehicle with an outside object, wherein a vehicle occupant disposed adjacent the steering column will impart a force on the steering column in response to the collision event. Further, during a collision event, an airbag can be deployed, which also causes car-forward movement of the steering column. Increased amount of column travel can provide a safer environment for a vehicle occupant during a collision event. The increased travel of the steering column in a car-forward direction is necessary to achieve specific standards in the auto industry. As such, there is a need to provide a finished instrumentation cluster panel having the necessary components to provide breakaway portions that will not impede the travel of the steering column in a car-forward direction during a collision event.
The present invention provides a cluster finish panel having a controlled release breakaway bridge bezel attached to a surround bezel that is designed to breakaway from the surround bezel as a force is imparted on the bridge bezel in a car-forward direction from a steering column during a collision event. The present invention further provides a breakaway bezel that is designed to have a decreased amount of force necessary to release the bridge bezel from the surround bezel, so as not to impede the car-forward movement of the steering column during a collision event.